Cable damage by squirrels and other sheath-chewing animals is a continuing problem. Due to unpredictable migratory patterns, plant areas thought safe from these animals are sometimes suddenly invaded, requiring the use of cable guards.
Various cable guards exist for protecting against these animals. One prior art cable guard, which is relatively simple in construction and adaptable for supported aerial cables, is the chevron guard disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,772,451, issued Nov. 13, 1973. The chevron guard affixes over the topside of a cable to the supporting strand with straps which are inserted through pairs of holes occurring at periodic longitudinal intervals along the guard. The cable is left exposed along the bottom in this cable guard assembly. Unfortunately, squirrels, are able to walk along the bottom of this cable guard assembly, and hence damage the cable, though the awkwardness of walking upside down does operate somewhat as a deterrent. Also, installation of the chevron guard, which is a substantial portion of the cost involved, is somewhat time consuming.
There is especially need for a guard that is easy to install and remove. There is also need for an improved cable guard which is more effective and reliable in mechanically protecting cables against squirrels and other sheath-chewing animals. Desirably, the guard is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture.